§ 34. Major Nieldasked the Minister of Pensions, since the recent amendment of the Royal Warrant, how many applications for review have been made to his Department; in how many of such cases a pension has been granted by him without recourse to the appeals tribunals; how many such cases have been submitted to the appeals tribunals; and how many of such appeals have been allowed.
§ Sir W. WomersleyUp to 18th March the number of applications to my Department for review under the entitlement provisions announced in the White Paper in July last and embodied in the Royal Warrant of the 4th December, 1943, was rather more than 30,000, of which about 7,800 were admitted to pension without recourse to the Pensions Appeal Tribunal. The total number of appeals to the Tribunal is about 22,000 but my records do not distinguished the appellants who are also included in the 30,000 I have mentioned.
§ 36. Mr. Tom Brownasked the Minister of Pensions if, as over 50 per cent. of the parents of sons and daughters who have lost their lives in this war are not in receipt of any pensions and are experiencing considerable hardships, will he refer the question of a flat rate pension, irrespective of means, to the Central Advisory Committee for their consideration at an early date.
§ Sir W. WomersleyI do not accept the statement in the first part of the Question and I would remind my hon. Friend that it is open to any applicant in whose case pension was not awarded because the requirement of pecuniary need was not satisfied to renew the application in the event of an adverse change in financial circumstances. As regards the second part of the Question the Government made its position quite clear in the comprehensive discussion of war pensions on the issue of the White Paper in July last, and I see no grounds for referring the matter to my Central Advisory Committee.
§ Mr. BrownIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that, when people have fallen on evil times, they refuse to submit their claims to the people concerned because of the inquisition applied to them?
§ Sir W. WomersleyNo, I am not aware of that. The records of my Department show that these people apply at once and we deal with them sympathetically. There is no inquisition about it at all.
§ Mr. MaxtonWhat is it that the right hon. Gentleman does not accept? Is it the percentage?
§ Sir W. WomersleyI do not accept the inference in the Question at all.
§ Mr. MaxtonWhat inference is the right hon. Gentleman talking about? He said he did not accept the first part of the Question. The first part of the Question says 1030 that over 50 per cent. of the parents do not get anything. Does he tell the House that is not true?
§ Sir W. WomersleyI gave figures last week which show that 50 per cent. were awarded pensions and 50 per cent. were given notice that they would have their entitlement to a pension as and when their pecuniary needs justified it. What I do not agree with is the statement that this system is causing some considerable hardship. It is doing nothing of the kind.
§ Mr. LipsonDoes not my right hon. Friend agree that, if 50 per cent. of the parents who have lost their sons are not receiving anything, it is a matter that calls for further consideration?
§ Sir W. WomersleyNo, because these people have been given an insurance policy to put in their pocket which, to my mind, is far better than giving it to someone who is in a position to include it for purposes of Income Tax.